Imperialism in Africa: The Cape to Cairo

This introductory undergraduate course examines the historical and ideological roots, expansionist ambitions, and enduring legacies of the British imperial project known as the "Cape to Cairo" corridor. The concept was first articulated sometime between 1874 and 1878 by Edwin Arnold, then editor of the Daily Telegraph, who envisioned a British-controlled railway stretching the length of Africa—from Cape Town in the south to Cairo in the north. Cecil Rhodes later adopted and championed the idea, integrating it into broader imperial policy and mythmaking.

At the time Arnold's pamphlet was published, British territorial control in Africa was modest, limited to seven coastal enclaves and colonial outposts totaling roughly 500,000 square kilometers. By 1914, British holdings expanded dramatically to over 10 million square kilometers, largely aligned with the Cape to Cairo axis. By the end of World War I, British-controlled territories extended continuously from the Cape to Cairo, fulfilling a central geopolitical vision of late imperial Britain.

Following this imperial trajectory, the course explores key episodes in British and local African political, social, cultural, and economic transformations. We will interrogate the motives and mechanisms of British expansion, the diverse responses of African societies, the emergence of new forms of colonial rule and resistance, and the developing role of corporations and infrastructure. We will further explore the legacies of imperialism in Africa and questions of Pan Africanism.

The course will also introduce you to the use of primary materials in your studies. We will use a variety of documents, including contracts, laws, newspaper articles, reports, and correspondence. In some weeks, we will explore some basics on how to find primary sources, the different types of sources, and how to use them in your research.